We Run Winter

We Run Winter challenged women runners to train through and beat the worst winter elements. With the temperature dropping below freezing, collegiate die-hards showed up to take on a 5k around campus. A monolithic ice sculpture marked their starting point and set forth the menacing challenge...could their collective energy melt it away?

The night before the activation, temperatures dropped to a balmy 27 degrees and the wind blew something fierce. There’s beauty in the unpredictability of Midwestern weather and it set the perfect stage for our ice sculpture. Obscured through the ice, dozens of running bibs with unique ID numbers lay frozen inside, waiting to be freed.

Led by industry and campus influencers, the run emphasized community over speed. At points around the trail, runners pressed a button to activate high-power heaters back at the icy installation. Each press of the button activated more heat.

It was a total meltdown! Women wearing the bib numbers matching those in the ice won exclusive UltraBOOST X ATR all-weather running shoes. Each woman who won hugged the emcee and a spontaneous dance party exploded; a true testament to the power of the running community and overcoming together.